Lucky: A Dog's Tale
by Sandylee007
Summary: INSPIRED HEAVILY BY THE STORY OF HACHIKO.     Clint Barton leaves far too often. But he always comes back to his loyally waiting dog Lucky. Until he doesn't. Still Lucky keeps waiting, for the rest of his life.                  CHARACTER DEATH        ONESHOT


A/N: This idea's been bombarding my head FOR AGES. And it finally gained proper spark again just today, when I ran into bits and pieces of a 'Hachiko' trailer.

DISCLAIMER: INSPIRED VERY HEAVILY BY THE STORY AND MOVIE OF HACHIKO. Me NO OWN the original story! OR any of these characters. Just… toying around with them for a bit.

WARNINGS: CHARACTER DEATH. Sadness… Maybe a little language… Tissue-alert? Woah! For my story that's REALLY short.

Awkay, because stalling isn't kind AND it's always somewhat nerve-wrecking to post something different… Let's go! I REALLY hope that you'll enjoy the ride.

* * *

Lucky: A Dog's Tale

* * *

From the very beginning Lucky had been forced to get used to the idea that Master – the one the humans of the house called Clint, dad or daddy – left often. It hurt the dog's heart every single time, although the man always came back. Sometimes limping and stumbling, far too often reeking so clearly of blood that it made Lucky whimper.

It was a rainy day of autumn and Master was leaving again. And it hurt, like it always did. But this time there was also anxiety that Lucky wasn't used to. The dog keened and pawed at Clint's leg when the man approached the door.

The man looked down at him with confusion. "Hey. What's all this fuss about?" The scratch behind the ear was only a tiny comfort, just like the smile. "I'll be back soon, okay? Take good care of the rest of the pack until then."

Lucky whimpered and pawed at the man again. Did his very best the keep the human from leaving. When all else failed he attempted to follow. Only to be stopped by a firm but gentle hand.

"No, Lucky. Stay." Clint patted his head and he leaned to the touch eagerly, savoring the warmth. "I know. But I'll be back before you know it. I promise."

Soothed a little by the knowledge, Lucky sat down obediently and watched helplessly as the man walked out. The dog stared at the door until a new hand, a smaller one, appeared to scratch his head. "It's okay", Mistress – Laura – murmured quietly, kneeling to his level with her eyes on the door. "I'll miss him, too."

Lucky lifted his head and licked away the salty tasting moisture on her cheeks.

Soon the shrill crying of a baby claimed her attention. With a one more pet to his head the woman walked away, wiping her face. Lucky lay down with his eyes on the door and began the waiting.

Master promised to come back and he always kept his promises.

* * *

Lucky was a dog. He had no real way of knowing how long, exactly, he lay there, only leaving his spot for a quick walk. At some point the humans of the household began to bring his food there when it became apparent that he wouldn't budge for a meal.

The first snow was falling softly on the day when a red-haired woman Lucky had met several times before appeared. Natasha, wasn't she? That day she smelled of salt and sadness. "I… I'm so sorry", she whispered, so quietly that even Lucky barely heard.

The dog would never, ever forget the sound that crawled through Laura's throat.

* * *

The house was strangely quiet after that. Natasha stayed and a lot of other humans stopped by. Master still didn't return.

A heavy cloud of sorrow hung on everyone. Lucky couldn't understand the sudden change, or why everyone kept telling him to leave his post. Master swore to return and he wasn't going anywhere before that happened.

It was snowing heavily on the morning when the humans dressed in black, and for some reason the scent of sorrow was heavier than ever before. While Laura fought loudly with the household's oldest child the middle one – the one Master once introduced to him as princess Lila – made her way to him. Her cheeks were wet when she hugged him to her almost painfully tightly, her whole body shuddering. Her mouth opened several times, but all that came out was a series of painful sounding whimpers.

Lucky licked the child's face, trying to provide some comfort. He missed Master, too. But it was alright. He'd promised to come back. They'd just have to wait.

* * *

Lila came to see him again during the darkest hours of the following night. Still carrying that salty scent that'd been present a lot lately, and something that smelled of Master. Lucky's tail began to wag with excitement while he nuzzled his head affectionately against the soft, worn piece of fabric in her arms.

He expected Lila to try and coax him away, like everyone else had done. Instead, however, she lay down with the fabric sandwiched between them. "I… I miss him, too, Lucky", the little human whispered, the moisture on her cheeks wetting his fur as she rubbed her face against him. "I miss him so much."

Lucky keened and lay his paw on top of the fabric, just like she'd rested her hand against it. They were exhausted and it didn't take long before they fell asleep. Both dreamt of that door in front of them opening and a familiar man walking through it.

* * *

More days passed by. Lucky's waiting continued. It was alright, he'd always been patient.

Very late that evening Young Master Cooper entered the Farm and instantly looked at him with a shake of a head. "What are you doing, you big dummy?" the small human sighed. "He's not coming back, you know? So stop that, right now. You've gotta…"

Lucky, smart as he was, was just as dog. He had no understanding to most of human language. Or impossibilities.

In the middle of the child's speech he smelled blood and whined, then walked closer. Cooper's knuckles were in a horrible condition, the skin raw red and broken from many places. With a new whimper Lucky began to lick away the blood, wishing from the bottom of his huge canine's heart that he was able to take away the pain, too.

This time it was Cooper who whimpered. A sharp, painful sound that seemed to come from deep within the child. Lucky responded with a similar, wondering if he'd done something wrong. What should he do to help?

Fortunately he didn't have to wonder long. Because Laura reacted instantly to her son's distress. She dashed into the room so quickly that it startled the dog, then pulled Cooper into a tight but tender embrace. The boy instantly clung to her with all his might, burying his face to her shoulder.

Lucky watched all of this with confusion and sadness. And wished that Master Clint would come back already. Home just didn't feel the same without him.

* * *

More time flew by. Seasons changed. The bitterness of a winter changed to the promises of a new spring, and finally the warmth of a summer reached the dog's post.

Lucky continued to wait, because Master promised to come back and told him to stay.

It was Cooper who came to him this time. Still so sad that the canine felt it but no longer smelling of salt. "C'mon, boy. I want to show you something." Seeing the dog's apprehension to the idea of moving the child went on. "We'll be right back, I promise. Just a little walk."

The words 'promise' and 'walk' registered to Lucky. Stiffly the dog got to his feet, then groaned and stretched. It'd been too long from his last walk, anyway.

They didn't go far at all. Lucky tilted his head upon spotting a new, strange shaped stone at the backyard of the Farm. Where did it come from? And when? It'd been so long since he used the backyard instead of the front of the Farm…

Cooper motioned for him to follow and he obeyed instantly. They made their way to the stone. And all of a sudden the scent of sorrow was there again. "See, Lucky? Dad, he… He's right there. He's…" The child swallowed loudly. "He's back home. Has been for a while. So… You can stop waiting."

Lucky looked at the stone, even tried the strange item with his paw. And wondered, as much as any dog could, why in the world any human would be hiding inside one. It felt so very cold.

* * *

Time passed by. The piece of fabric Lila once approached him with lost the scent of Master, little by little until the canine could only smell himself when he sniffed it. And eventually Lucky, who still hadn't abandoned his post, was the only one in the house who moved their head hopefully whenever steps approached door he guarded. Because while the humans had the chance to recover and move on the dog wasn't so fortunate.

The smallest member of the household was first crawling in a manner that instantly reminded Lucky of a puppy. Then walking on two feet, unsteadily but stronger each day. Very often the little one's steps headed to the still hopeful dog lay on the floor. And one day the child gave his first laugh while hugging the animal. Lucky responded with licking the baby's cheek and earned a new giggle.

The little one smelled almost the same as Master Clint. And it was the biggest comfort the heavy-hearted dog had received in ages. The child seemed to feel something similar, because at any given opportunity those tiny feet led the human to him.

They lay there yet again, side by side, while a summer storm raged outside. Lucky waiting and keeping watch while the child flipped through a book full of photographs. And it was the first time the dog, or anyone else, heard Nate speak, a chubby little finger pointing at a particular picture. "Daddy!" Nate exclaimed, his voice bright and full of joy.

Lucky's tail began to wag as the dog lifted his head, his hope renewed.

* * *

Seasons changed again. Several times over. The little ones of the household grew up and weren't so little anymore. The house began to make suspicious noises when wind was heavy. It was waiting for Master, too, to continue to renovate it.

One evening Laura sat beside him, a bowl of dogfood in one hand and a glass of something red that smelled bitter in the other. She didn't leave him to eat alone, as she usually did. Instead she sat beside him and scratched his head gently, making Lucky groan with pleasure. "I'm sorry that I've been avoiding you, boy", she murmured. "It's just, to see you waiting… It makes me want to wait, too, and… I can't. I physically can't stand it anymore." There was that scent of salt again, and she wiped her eyes.

For a while it was quiet, aside the noise Lucky made while eating. Then she went on. "We should move, you know? Because here, in this house, he's… He's everywhere. But every time I try to find a place…" She sighed and scratched him again. Lucky, finished with his meal, sighed as well and lay down so that he leaned against her. "I guess I'm not as ready to stop waiting as I thought I was." Her hand wasn't steady as she lifted her glass. "Happy anniversary, honey. Wherever you are."

Through that dark night they waited together.

* * *

Eventually life goes on, even for the most loyal of dogs. Lucky never once stopped waiting or believing, not even for a single day. But eventually he moved from his spot enough to see the children off to school. Or to keep Laura company while she tended to the flowers by that strange stone at their backyard.

Until too many winters had passed by and he no longer could. Lucky's fur had lost its shine and color, and his bones no longer ached only when the weather was damp. He dog couldn't understand what was happening. But the humans still present at the house began to spend more and more time with him, and for that he was happy. Their company made the pain ease.

Still the waiting continued. No matter how exhausted and achy Lucky felt he kept hanging on to his Master's promise. On the hope.

One night his whole remaining pack lay there on the floor. Aside Lucky only Lila was awake, holding him in her arms and petting him gently. The dog couldn't smell the salt on her face anymore. "It's okay, Lucky", she promised quietly, her voice so small it was barely audible. "You… You'll get to see daddy soon. So… Look after him, old boy. I'm sure that he's missed you as much as you've missed him."

Despite all the time passed the mention of Clint made Lucky's heart shudder with joy, and he closed his eyes with a contended sigh.

Lucky woke up to the feeling of someone scratching him from behind the ear. When he opened his eyes Clint was there, looking down at him with a smile. "Hey, boy. Didn't I tell you that I'd come back to you?"

* * *

End

* * *

A/N: Poor Barton family! And poor, poor Lucky! (whimpers) BUT, at very least Clint kept his promise in the end.

Soooo… Any good, at all? Garbage material? PLEASE, do leave a note to let me! I'd LOVE to hear from you.

In any case THANK YOU SO MUCH for reading! (HUGS) And who knows. Maybe I'll see you again one day?

Take care, of yourselves and all the Luckys in the world!


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